Air conditioning apparatus



J n.- 7, 1936. J. o. ,GUFFEY AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1955 ma Wm U a. J

J A TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to air moisteners for air conditioning apparatus and has special reference to a mechanical spray making device.

In air conditioning apparatus it is common either to force air through water to effect moistening of the air or to provide a pneumatic nebulizer to effect the emission of a fine mist from a nozzle. In each of such devices it is necessary to provide some form of pump for the air since the fan with which air conditioning apparatus is generally provided does not produce sufiicient intensity of pressure. This adds to the expense and complication of the apparatus. One important object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism which may be inserted in the path of the flowing in air of an air conditioning machine and which will mechanically spray water from a tank into such air path.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel form of such device wherein the spray is produced by rapidly revolving sawlike means dipping into the water of a tank.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of this class wherein the depth of immersion of the saw means may be regulated at will and the quantity of spray thusbe controlled.-

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide means for creating a plurality of spray zones which may be spaced as desired.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawing like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2 with parts in elevation.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of. Figure 3 but showing only the casing used herewith.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

In the embodiment of the invention here shown there is provided a housing consisting of a lower or tank portion l0 and an upper or hood portion H the lower part of which fits into the tank. The tank It] has a flat bead [2 extending around the outer. face of its sides and through this beaded edge and the lower part of the side walls of the hood pass securing screws l3 which serve to hold the hood and tank together. The side walls of the hood lap over the end walls as at ll flow notch I! by which the height of water in the tank is limited. In the other end wall of the hood there is provided a large arched outlet opening l8.

Extending through the housing above the upper water level is a shaft [9. In order to support the shaft there is provided at each end of the housing a bearing having a fixed lower part provided with a tubular boss 2|. In this boss is mounted for vertical sliding movement a shank 22 carrying a bearing sleeve 23. This permits adjustment in height of the bearings and they are held in adjusted position by set-screws 24. Each end wall of the tank is provided with a notch 25 to permit clearance of the shaft in its lower-most position.

On the shaft is slidably mounted a plurality of saws 26 having teeth 21. These teeth have their points curved and directed forwardly in the direction of rotation of the sawas indicated by the arrow in Figure 5. The saws are fixed in their adjusted positions on the shaft by set screws 28.

On the shaft H) at ,the inlet end of the casing is fixed a stepped pulley 29 which may be driven by any suitable motor. For instance, the pulley 29 may be belted to the shaft of a fan motor (not shown) having its fan positioned to drive air through the housing. Also the device may have air passed through it by placing it in the air duct of an air conditioning apparatus and thus form the moistener for such apparatus.

Extending through the tank I II is a shaft 30 provided at one end with a knob 30 by which the shaft may be rotated. On this shaft is mounted a plurality of breaker plates 3| which are adjustable along the shaft like the saws 26 and are held in adjusted position by set screws 32. These breaker plates lie in the path of the spray thrown up by the saws and, by changing their inclination by means of the knob 30 serve to direct the spray and control its path. If desired, one of the breaker plates may be omitted or moved along the shaft 30 away from its saw.

In use the rapidly revolving saws pick up water from the tank and the water thus picked up is thrown off the saws by centrifugal force. There is thus formed a plurality of spray zones and the distances between these zones may be regulated by adjusting the saws toward or from each other on the shaft. Also, the amount of water picked up by the saws may be regulated by adjusting the bearings for height so that more or less of the saws may be immersed in the water.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the principles involved. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form here shown and described but it is desired to include all forms which come within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In an air moistener, a casing having a lower part forming a tank and having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening at respective ends, a shaft extending through the casing above the tank and longitudinally thereof, means to rotate said shaft, bearings at the ends of said casing supporting said shaft, a plurality of saws 5 mounted on said shaft and arranged to dip into' water in the tank, said saws being adjustable toward and from each other, means to hold said saws in adjusted positions, said saws having teeth with points directed forwardly in the'direction 10 I 

